The present invention relates to a mechanism for punching a hole in a stopper in combination with a pipette system for use with the opening punched in the stopper.
In the past hospitals and medical facilities have commonly obtained samples, such as blood samples, and placed them in vials with rubber stoppers covering the vials. The vials are labeled with the patient's information. The samples are then sent to a pathology department or to a lab to be analyzed. Once the blood samples are received in the lab the stoppers are removed and a pipette is used to remove small amounts of blood for placement on slides or in centrifuges or other laboratory devices for analyzing the blood. Blood may be analyzed through a microscope or may be centrifuged or may be analyzed with electrophorisis analysis. However blood, urine and other samples are sometimes contaminated with bacteria, viral or other microorganisms which are contagious and which may be contacted if the sample comes in contact with the medical personnel handling the sample. This can happen when the stopper is being removed from a vial if the blood splatters from the vial, or alternatively, if the vial breaks or from careless handling of the vial. Once the stopper is removed the pipette is then used to remove a portion of the sample for placing small amounts on slides for different tests.
The present invention is directed towards a system for removing the blood or other sample without removing the stopper placed therein with a pipette and then utilizing a specially designed pipette to seal the vial for disposal. This reduces the handling of the vial and the stopper and reduces the likelihood of the blood or other sample from getting on the skin of a lab or medical worker.
In the past other systems have been suggested for avoiding the splatter of blood in removing the stoppers from vials such as may be seen in my prior U.S. Pat. No.: 4,726,264 for a Stopper Removal Apparatus in which a specially designed cover is utilized for slipping over the stopper and shielding the stopper and vial from any splatter of blood or other liquids. The covers are throw away with the stopper or may be used to replace the stopper.